Christ proclaimed the doctrine of repentance. It is either repent or perish. As long as this world lasts, the call for repentance is necessary. Repentance means to make our peace with God. It is absolutely necessary. Repentance is the opposite of rebellion. We know that repentance does not save but no one was ever saved without the doctrine of repentance. The only One who saves is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! No impenitent heart can receive the good Lord. We ought to use contrite repentance and not legal repentance. Legal repentance is attrition but true repentance is acknowledging our offense against God’s holiness and wounding His tender and precious heart.
Sinners cannot truly believe unless a sinner repents. The publicans and harlots repented afterwards but the rest did not repent. This was when John the Baptist was involved in His ministry (Matthew 21:32). We are called to repentance and belief in Mark 1:15. Paul spoke of repentance towards God and belief in Jesus (Acts 20:21). Don’t be confused on repentance. God calls everyone everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). God stresses His righteous ways upon us. This is why we ought to repent because it establishes the righteousness of the Lord. However, repentance does not add to the unified work of Christ alone. God is totally worthy of overflowing love, worship and obedience. We have denied the Lord our obedience. We must repent. We must acknowledge this and amend our failures and commissions and omissions of sin. We ought to end our rebellion against God. We are to have affections for God but we ought to repent of our disaffection against God. We ought to repent because we have dreadfully failed Him who is holy, holy, holy. We ought to give God our rightful place in our hearts. We must recognize the heinous nature of our sins if we consider God’s righteousness. When we sin, we reject the God who made us. Sin is refusing for God to govern us. Sin is the pursuit to please ourselves. It is rebellion against the Almighty. The sin of sinfulness is lawlessness against the Lord and hated for His authority. Sin is not caring for what God wants from us but self-will in sinfulness. Sin wants our own way against the Lord. We don’t care what God’s teachings are. This is how people have lived and may the Spirit show them this.
True repentance comes from the heart. May we realize the exceeding sinfulness of sin! May we realize that we have defied our Creator! Repentance is a holy and pure hatred or sin and the horror of sin as well. We ought to have a deep sorrow for sin. Godly sorrow is essential in repentance. That means we realize we have done wrong. Repentance is a total soul-forsaking of sin. God pardons those who repent. If we cover our sins, we will not prosper. If we confess and forsake our sins we will have mercy (Proverbs 28:13).
True repentance is turning to God. It is turning to God and turning our back on the world. We have been set upon a vain world. We have loved the devil and this fallen world. We are fallen creatures in need of a divine Savior. We cannot save ourselves. This world cannot satisfy our souls. But only God the Trinity can rescue us from sin through God the Son. We are rebellious creatures and we show disloyalty to Him. We should determine and desire an interest in the Lord. We ought to obey Him and serve Him.
Whoever reads this has the duty to repent. Repentance is continuous. It always continues until we enter glory. We ought never to repent of the same sins twice. We should repent of sins committed at any time in our lives. You shouldn’t wait to leave repentance to a dying hour. Turn from your self-absorption and self-will to the living Redeemer. You should seek mercy in Christ. You should turn with a total mission of heart to please Him. Will you repent or end up in hell? Hell is a place where no one ever repented in this life. God exalted Jesus to His right hand and granted repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31). May God grant you godly sorrow that works repentance that needs no rejection, “but the sorrow of the world works death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
